To Get To You
by Mendori-chan
Summary: A fic in Tamao's POV. She talks about her life so far and about loving a certain shaman who can never return the love to her. But one guy comes into her life...someone she never expected to fall for. One-shot. HoroTamao please R&R!


A/N: Mendori-chan is currently feeling very lonely, so I just wrote this fic in hopes to find the true essence of loving someone through the eyes of Tamao. Enjoy... it's my little contribution to all the Horo/Tamao fans out there and, well, leaving me striving for more of Horo's inspiration. Review if you please, but I would gladly appreciate it if you do.

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I would love to have Horo but I can't and never will. So, instead of me writing about my personal obsession for him, I used Tamao instead. 

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To Get To You

By: yours truly

After Master Yoh and his companions went out, I found myself alone in the house. So I took the initiative to reflect on my life so far...

I knew it all ever since the day when I met Master Yoh that I would never ever gain his favor. He was a really nice person and I enjoyed his company very much. But although I knew that Kino-sama has chosen Miss Anna to be his fiance, I tried to hide the pain. 

People say it was just a childish crush or perhaps a flaming infatuation...but no one really took time to see the real feeling I hide dear for Master Yoh. 

At first, I thought it was stupid of me to admit to myself that I liked him when I was still 5. But little did I know that that 'liking' turned out to be an unexpected emotion, which I was afraid of. I knew I would get hurt sooner or later, especially on that moment when Kino-sama announced Yoh-sama's future bride. 

I was one of the candidates.

But then, my efforts have failed me once I knew Miss Anna was the one, causing me to retreat back in my shell where no one can hurt me anymore. 

I locked myself up in the loneliness of my heart, hoping my life would end as fast as possible. Hiding how I felt was never easy, either. The people around me were just too concerned that I was given the description of 'shy.'

"Redeem me from this world of lies," I used to tell myself. "I've had enough of everything that had caused me vulgar pain without them even noticing it."

Surely the life of a prophetess could forsee her future, but I was not like that. I barely spoke so much about myself that I almost shut the doors of my heart permanently...

...But then again, I said 'almost' right?

It then occurred to me one fateful day when I was accompanied by Yoh-sama and Miss Anna in Tokyo to live with them. That time, the Shaman Fight was still on. So I decided to stay away from Yoh-sama as much as possible since I may disturb his training. As a pupil of the Asakuras, I could only do so much in the household through chores. 

But one day when Yoh-sama went in the house after his first victory, he had accompanied some friends over.

He walked in the kitchen where I was (and indeed, I tried to contain my pink cheeks ^^;;) with a grin.

"Tamao-san, could you please set us up for some dinner?" he asked me with his ever appealing smile, which I used to cherish. But I was certain that my feelings for this person still lingered within me...and yet, I had to let go sooner or later despite the pain.

"Of course, Master Yoh," I replied, forcing a fake smile on my face.

Then all of a sudden, the sliding door opened and a spiky blue-haired boy walked in. He had a broad grin plastered on his face, looking up at Master Yoh.

"Make that dinner a feast," Yoh-sama told me with a chuckle.

My eyes widened. "F-Feast...?" I echoed, not quite sure what he was talking about. "You mean you brought in so many friends of yours?"

"W-Well..." Yoh-sama turned to the boy.

The blue-haired teenager walked closer. "Actually..." he said, scratching his cheek timidly.

I blinked,  then recalled something. "Oh, I remember Miss Anna talking about you," I said with a smile. He was an Ainu warrior, if I'm not mistaken, with his so-called stomach of abyss, which Miss Anna calls it. 

I nodded politely. "I would gladly make a feast for Master Yoh's victory."

"Thank you, Tamao." Master Yoh grinned feistyly before he walked out the kitchen.

The blue-haired boy, on the other hand, walked closer to me. His deep blue eyes gazed at my rosy ones intently, a hint of apology shaded in them. I felt confusion when my heart pounded. No one has ever looked at me that way...ever. He then smiled—no, grinned sheepishly. 

"Gomene. I guess gluttony will keep you in trouble," he said laughingly.

"Oh, no. Of course not!" I tried to reassure him. "A guest is a guest and I will be honored to treat you like one..." my voice trailed off, feeling a bit too preoccupied by his presence.

But he sensed my awkwardness although we just met. 

"Tamao...was it?" he asked softly as I lay my eyes on the floor, finding myself nodding slightly. 

It's not such an unnatural thing for me to be shy around boys, because back in Izumo, it was usually only Master Yoh that I befriended of the opposite kind. But in some *strange* way, I felt comfortable with this guy aside from...er, Master Yoh.

"H-Horo horo-san...?" I whispered in hopes I got his name right. And to my relief, he nodded vigorously, making me smile.

That was the day when I first met him. I never realized that that moment was the start of my change. 

Horo horo-kun befriended me and made me proud of myself for he enjoyed my cooking so much. So much in fact, it boosted up my confidence dramatically. He was certainly the most unlikely person I would spend most of my time with because he was simply my complete oppostie.

And in a way, he erased most of the pain I suffered after Kino-sama's rejection with his kind (otherwise, annoying) grin. I thanked Kami-sama for that with all my heart.

Right now, I sighed and found myself alone in the Asakura household while the others were out to celebrate. Master Yoh, being his kind and indulgent self, invited me. Still, I refused and told him some chores have to be done. 

What a lame excuse when all I wanted to do was think and reflect once in a while. It's not like I wanted to hide something from him, but—

"Tamao?" a rough yet gentle tone made me snap out from my thoughts. 

I looked up and found Horo-kun behind me, looking confused.

"W-What are you doing here?" I asked and stood up from the porch, looking at him with the same utter confusion.

He gave me one of his wide grins—one that he usually gives to me. "So I was right then," he spoke and took a few steps closer to me. "Why did you turn down your dear Master Yoh's invitation to join us?" asked the Ainu with a silly and teasing tone.

I felt my cheeks flush, then I frowned. "I-It's none of your business." 

Sheesh, I was utterly stupid to spill half of my unsaid and unrealized feelings for Master Yoh to this Ainu glutton every time he had the chance to make me open-up.

"Don't tell me you're pregnant!" he said suddenly. "You've been silent lately and suddenly refused Yoh's invitation because you went up to the hospital and--"

"Iie!!!!" I exclaimed, my face was fuming red. 

Horo horo then held my shoulders tightly in an effort to calm me down. It worked, though, as I opened my eyes to meet his. He was looking at me intently—the same look he gave me when we first met.

I felt my heart pound once more. 

"S-So," I stuttered, trying to control my uneasiness. "What are YOU doing here?" 

Horo horo never broke the gaze. He drew me closer to his chest instead and asked me back, "Guess?"

I was aware that my face was now fumed into blood-crimson and my heart rate went up faster. I gulped. "Not hungry?"

He laughed quietly. "Oh, Tamao. When will you ever realize that no matter how much information you told me about your feelings for Yoh will only be reflected through your eyes..."

"What are you talking about...?" I asked, trying to get to where he wanted me to be.

"You don't have that feeling for him any longer."

I stiffened. Even Horo-kun could see through me that easily? Were my feelings for Master Yoh that simply vivid when I tried to make it vague? I tried not to cry this time with all my power...but only to fail.

"I-I can't love him..." 

Horo-kun embraced me gently, giving enough space for me to push him away. 

But I leaned on him instead...

And he gently stroked my hair, calming me tenderly with his touch.

"No one has the right to make you cry," he whispered to me softly. "Remember that Tamao. So please, stop crying. For God's sake, there are other bishounens out there!"

I looked up at the smiling Ainu.

"...and I'm one of them." he finished. 

I had to grin at his obnoxious yet charming attitude. He never ceased to amaze me with his super-duper-wide-and-idiotic-but-still-cute-grin plastered on his face. But before I could reply, he hesitantly and slowly lowered his head, face just inches away from mine.

"H-Horo-kun...?" was all I could say. But the contact was too close and I couldn't fight his built body.

So, I closed my eyes before his lips met mine in a tender kiss.

And that kiss was all it took to smooth away the pain that lingered in my heart. For all the years I have been with Master Yoh, I have never felt this emotion when I was with Horo-kun...an emotion that filled my heart to its fullest...an emotion called love.

When we parted, he smiled at me more sincerely now, his gentle eyes sparkling.

"If all you needed was someone to love you, then my efforts were not in vain after all... I got to you."

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A/N: I'm sorry, I'm just a beginner in writing angsty fluff fics. This will remain a one-shot (a really short one), and if you liked it, I may write a sequel to it. Hmmm...but I doubt it though. Tamao was hard to write because I cannot fully understand her personality. Anyway, this is all I can offer you. 

Dedicated to: All the Horo/Tamao fans (and perhaps Yoh/Tamao fans), gingersnap7 (please review...hehe), Yume-chan, and Nikui-chan. Of course, to my lovely Horo-chan. ^^;;;


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